By Grace Frost
A 10-month rescue mission complete with tears, hikes and a lot of love has officially united six year old rescue dog ‘Bramble’ with his forever family.
Bramble’s journey began when he was adopted from the Lost Dogs Home as a palliative care dog in May last year.
A history of abuse meant Bramble was riddled with fear on the ride to Kilmore, resulting in him bolting for the bushes only moments before his new life was set to begin.
Despite multiple sightings, Bramble was too scared to give anyone a chance at coming close.
His owner wasn’t in the condition to go searching, and his daughter did what she could from her Sydney home to keep the community informed.
It was wildlife rescuer Tam Curran who, alongside a team of more than 30 people, dedicated herself to the rescue mission and ultimately bought Bramble home.
For the first month he was missing, she rallied with other community members to respond to sightings and organised a trap.
When sheep were massacred in the area, Ms Curran was quick to plead Bramble’s case – saying the staffy was too weak and too much of a ‘gentle giant’ to have inflicted the attack.
When Bramble was finally spotted again at a property in Kilmore East, Ms Curran kept the news quiet as she feared many would seek vengeance on the dog.
With the property owner giving Ms Curran access and assisting where he could, Ms Curran and other rescuers partnered with Nigel’s Animal Rescue from Cranbourne to organise a trailer-sized trap.
But Bramble skillfully avoided it and the other traps they set.
“This boy is the most intelligent animal I have ever encountered. He has changed and adapted, his sixth sense is impeccable,” Ms Curran said.
Still determined to save him, Ms Curran hiked the two-kilometre trek up and back to Bramble’s home amongst bushes everyday for eight months to leave him food.
She checked cameras, organised traps and kept log sheets of Bramble’s movements, all while brainstorming new capture ideas with various teams of people.
“Some people call it commitment. Some people call it crazy,” she said.
“Everything in my life was affected and some of my loved ones were begging me to give up, but I just couldn’t. For me to stop what I was doing was to kill him.”
After tens of ideas had failed – even building a makeshift treehouse for the darters to hide in – vet and darter from Vets for Compassion Alistair suggested food sedation – and Bramble fell for the bait.
“It was such an amazing moment, and then we knew he was safe. I sobbed and laughed and … God I can’t even describe,” she said.
After being checked over by the vets, Bramble went home with Ms Curran – and has not left since.
“It’s pretty funny actually because I always said, I just need to get him safe. We’re not a dog family, we’re not having a dog, I’m just going to get him to safety and then we will find somewhere for him,” she said.
“But he’s not going anywhere. His old owners transferred him into my name.”
Ms Curran’s children, aged 10 and five, adore their new family member, and after hiking every night at sunset with their mum to find him, are happy he’s finally home.
“The kids are absolutely wrapped … Bramble sleeps in my son’s bed each night,” Ms Curran said.
Ms Curran said she was grateful for the support of the community, fellow wildlife rescuers, animal experts and so many others in the mission.
“I have met so many beautiful people who share a love for animals. Many of these people have become friends I will always cherish,” she said.
“I’m just a person just trying to do what I can. And all of these experts who know everything about animals … every single one of those people greeted me with so much gratitude and respect.
“It ended up being the dream team that got him to safety.”
After the expensive rescue mission including funding cameras, traps, equipment, petrol and dog food, Ms Curran now needs to fit fences to secure Bramble and pay for his ongoing care.
